JOE Calzaghe will go into the toughest test of his boxing career with the words of two ring legends ringing in his ears.

JOE Calzaghe will go into the toughest test of his boxing career with the words of two ring legends ringing in his ears.

The 34-year-old Welshman has been boosted by American great Marvin Hagler, and by British hero Nigel Benn, as he prepares for a showdown with bristling Yank Jeff "Left Hook" Lacy at the Manchester Evening News Arena in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Hagler named the Welshman, holder of the WBO super- middleweight belt, as one of his top six pound for pound fighters in the world today.

And "Dark Destroyer" Benn, whose rivalry with Chris Eubank and Steve Collins enthralled British fight fans in the 90s, claims that Calzaghe "would have given all three of us a good going over."

Those words will be music to the ears of Calzaghe who, despite being ranked as the top 12-stone man in the world for years, and having been WBO champion for eight years, has yet to become a household name in Britain, never mind in the States, the acid test for any aspiring European boxer.

But Lacy, who holds the IBF version of the title, is a ferociously hungry young man with a penchant for early finishes.

Seventeen of his 21 straight wins as a pro have been via knockouts and he will provide a real test.

Win this one, and Calzaghe is elevated in status and can start seeking mega-fights in the US, just as Ricky Hatton did after demolishing Kostya Tszyu in the same arena last summer.

Calzaghe's manager and promoter Frank Warren refused to describe this contest as a defining fight, but the boxer begged to differ.

"I am the best super-middleweight in the world and have been waiting eight years for a fight like this, a unification fight. It's beautiful, the type of fight any fighter dreams about," he said.

"This is the next level for me. I have defended my title 17 times but the thought of a unification fight has lifted me.

Desire

"I could only beat the opponents I fought at the time when defending the WBO belt, and they were the best we could get. But for once I am going in with something to gain, which is another belt, rather than just defending my own title. That makes this fight massive. What better way could there be to showcase your talents?

"I am 34 now, but as long as you still have the hunger, the desire, and still feel fresh, age is not a problem.

"I still feel at the top of my game. I am happy and not thinking about retirement just yet."

The fight has certainly got ITV excited - they will stage a four-hour marathon of boxing starting late tomorrow night and ending with Calzaghe v Lacy, which is due to start at 2am to fit in with American schedules.

But when the two men came head to head in Manchester yesterday, there was no repeat of the bad-mouthing that has marked the build-up.

Calzaghe said he knew nothing of a claim by Lacy's promoter Gary Shaw that he had offered to send flowers to the hospital for Lacy on Sunday morning.

"The only way Jeff will be in hospital is if he breaks his hands on Joe's head," stormed the garrulous Shaw. Calzaghe calmly pointed out that he had not made such a tasteless comment, and would never do so.

Shaw was also unhappy that his fighter's claim that Calzaghe is a "slapper" had been taken out of context. Lacy had said, quite fairly, that Calzaghe often slaps rather than punches when he has an opponent under pressure, to make it look like he is busier than he actually is.

"Yeah. He's slapped out 31 opponents," said Warren with a grin.

Manchester fighter Thomas McDonagh challenges Croydon's Wayne Alexander for the WBU title on the undercard, sharing second billing with Welsh fighter Enzo Maccar- inelli's defence of his WBU cruiserweight title against Huddersfield's Mark Hobson.